Perfect in Every Way Except
by rhughes96
Summary: What happens when a sophomore in college, who has all but sworn off love, goes to LA to teach the team to ride? Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters. Established Densi and Neric, if Nell and Eric make an appearance.
1. Foreword

I admit. This is a strange title. It come from an ice-breaker game my high school youth group did on Wednesday evenings. We would sit in two lines of chairs and play Speed Friendship, which was like Speed Dating, except without the dating part. Though, instead of mindless and random conversations, my youth pastor would ask us questions. Sometimes they were "Would you rather" questions, but the ones I always remember are the "The person you are dating is perfect in every way except" questions. As you can now see, that is where the book gets its name. The ending of that sentence in the youth room was always something silly, like a third nostril, or a butt that glowed cherry red whenever they gassed. Always silly, always random, never serious. In all the games I played of Speed Friendship, my youth pastor never asked, "The person you are dating is perfect in every way except that they aren't a Christian." Maybe it was because we were supposed to be good little church kids who knew that we weren't supposed to date, let alone marry, a non-Christian. And I never questioned that that question never came up. That is, until I dreamt one night and struggled with the very question that was never asked: The person you are dating is perfect in every way except they aren't a Christian. What do you do? This book was born out of me trying to find the answer to that question. Some may disagree with the ending, with how I solve the problem in the book. To those I say that my answer is always changing, always growing, as any answer to a difficult question will. Come find me in 10 years or so and see how my answer has changed. Some will question my question- they don't understand why I even bother to pursue the answer. To them I answer, go live and fall in love with someone, and them ask them the religion question. What do you do now? That's the dilemma I faced in my dream and in the book. To those others still who want more, I can only say to wait. Maybe more will come, but I still don't know the ending myself. All in all, I hope you enjoy the book, enjoy the answer I give, and think about the answer yourself. I know that Rachael in the book makes mistakes. Do you agree with her? Did she do the right things? Make the right decisions? Is there another way besides not going at all? Ponder these as you read and answer the question yourself: What do you do when the person you are dating is perfect in every way except that they don't share your same foundational beliefs?


	2. Chapter 1: The Letter

"Easy Jet," Rachael murmured as she squeezed her horse back into the trot. Jet lifted with his back and rounded his neck even more as he complied and slowed to a trot.

"He looks great!" Rachael heard a voice shout.

"Thank you!" Rachael called back without looking up. She knew that voice instinctively. It was her best friend and freshman-year roommate, Melinda. Rachael and Melinda had immediately hit off when Rachael stepped into their room almost two years ago. They both loved God, horses, and country music in that order. Their friendship with each other had made the transition to college life and the trials of freshman year easier.

"I just came from the post office," Melinda cringed, coming up to the fence of the ring. "Jimmy said to tell you that your mailbox is overflowing. You should probably go empty it."

Rachael slowed Jet to a walk, and then halted in front of Melinda. "Yeah, I know. I've been meaning to. But with finals and everything, I haven't been able to for the past couple days."

Melinda gave Rachael a long yet knowing look. Even though they weren't roommates anymore, they still told each other about the private details and struggles of their lives. The "everything" Rachael had referred to was her latest struggle. Her ex-boyfriend was pestering her. Mainly the pestering was sending her innumerable "I'm sorry" letters. He still hadn't stopped, even after two months.

Melinda sighed. "Well, now that finals are done, he may be out partying." Rachael winced. She hadn't known Brett was a heavy drinker when they started going out. She thought she knew him better than that. That was, until he had invited her out. And then he had visited drunk like a dog. It was after that visit that they broke up. It was still a sore subject.

"Maybe," Rachael echoed Melinda's sigh. "I'll go ahead and go. If he's there, I'll ignore him. If not, I'll breathe a halleluiah."

Rachael pulled into the post office parking lot and looked around. Brett's car wasn't there. She breathed a hallelujah as she parked her truck and walked inside.

"Hey, Jimmy," Rachael called out as the bell above the door announced her arrival.

"Hey, Rachael," Jimmy called back. Jimmy Falchon was a sophomore like Rachael and Melinda. He was tall, lanky, with longish dark brown hair and big glasses. He was a typical geek on the outside with a heart of gold on the inside. He had gotten a job at the post office to help with his communications major.

"Sorry I haven't been by recently," Rachael said as she walked to her box.

Jimmy followed to continue the conversation. "That's okay. I understand," he paused. "He was here earlier today, but seemed to be in a hurry. He came in, got his mail, and left in record time." Working at the post office allowed Jimmy to know about Brett's letters, and the first few times he had ambushed Rachael at the post office.

"Well, that's a relief," Rachael said as she unlocked her box.

"Here," Jimmy said as he handed her a bin that he grabbed along the way. "You're going to need this."

"I can see that." Rachael stared wide-eyed at her box. "I guess it's been a little longer than I realized." She grabbed the bin and started carefully pulling letters out of her box.

"Happens to all of us," Jimmy shrugged. "Especially during finals. I can't count how many boxes are full to bursting. But that's why I told Melinda to tell you to come. I've been stuffing envelopes in there for two days now."

"I'm sorry you had to do that," Rachael said, still pulling envelopes out. "But thank you for sending Melinda. So do you have any plans for the summer?"

"Not really," Jimmy replied. "I think I'm gonna head home and see the family. Probably stay there."

"Gotcha," Rachael said, finally pulling out the last envelope. "Well, I think that's all of them! I'll bring this back tomorrow, and I'll try to come more often," she said as they walked to the front."

"It'll be good not to stuff envelopes in your box," Jimmy said with a smile. "See you later."

"See you later," Rachael said over the bell as she left.

Back at her dorm, Rachael commandeered her roommate's bed and desk as she sorted through a week's worth of mail. There were the expected letters from Brett. Those were tossed into the trash without a second glance. There was also ads, stuff from other colleges who _still _believed that Rachael wanted to go there, and there was…

"What's this?" Rachael wondered. The simple envelope didn't have a return address, and was addressed in a flowing, yet legible hand. She considered throwing it away, but opened it instead. "Oh, my," Rachael breathed as she read the first few lines of the letter.

Ms. Hughes,

We are pleased to inform you that, out of the many qualified candidates, you have been chosen by the government of the United States of America for a very important job. This job is to further the riding skills of the agents of the Los Angeles Special Operations unit of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in the three and a half months that are your summer break…"

Rachael gawked at the letter, then shook her head to clear it. She quickly read the rest of the letter, which told her that all travelling expenses would be paid for her and her horse to come out to Los Angeles and that there was a farm and accommodations set aside for her, should she accept. The letter ended:

If you choose to accept this position, please notify us within five (5) days of receiving this letter. If we do not receive an answer from you within ten (10) days of this letter being sent, we shall assume that you have refused the position and will contact someone else. Please notify the operations manager of the Los Angeles office, Henrietta Lange, of your decision as soon as possible."

Rachael looked at the envelope. It had been sent 8 days before. She had two days to make a decision. But Rachael already knew what her decision was. Now to get permission. Rachael grabbed her cell phone and called home.


	3. Chapter 2: The Barn

Rachael dropped out of her truck and stretched. The past two and a half days had been long and hard. Thankfully, Jet travelled well and hadn't been too difficult. Rachael let her thoughts wander back a week before, when she got the letter.

Her parents had given their permission to go to Los Angeles, but only after they knew that she really wanted to do it. Then, they had been very supportive. They helped her plan her route, make a check list of what to bring, and a list of travel preps for her truck and trailer. Rachael had given her winter clothes to Melinda, who lived near the college, and took everything else in her dorm with her. What she forgot she could buy in Los Angeles or have shipped to wherever she was staying. Four days of busy preparations followed that, and almost three days of driving after that.

The trip to Los Angeles had been smooth with very few problems. For that, Rachael was grateful. She breathed a brief prayer of thanks before she went to unload Jet. The barn she had parked in front of seemed to be a part of a large farm. There was a pasture wherever she looked, and she thought she spotted a good-sized ring behind the barn. Before she took a step, though, she caught sight of a short figure walking towards her. As the figure drew near, Rachael saw that it was a very short woman (under five feet tall), with short brown hair and glasses, and wearing a purple pants suit.

_That must be Henrietta Lange_, Rachael thought.

"Hello there," the woman called out.

"Hello," Rachael answered back. "You must be Henrietta Lange."

"I am. And you must be Rachael Hughes." Henrietta said, stopping in front of Rachael with both her hands clasped in front of her. "I hope your drive here was pleasant."

"It wasn't too bad," Rachael replied, glancing anxiously back towards the trailer. She really wanted to get Jet out.

Henrietta noticed Rachael's glance and said, "Well don't keep the horse waiting on my account. Go ahead and get him out."

"Thank you, Ms. Lange," Rachael sighed, relieved, as she hurried to do just that.

"Call me Hetty," Hetty called as she watch Rachael prep Jet for unloading.

"Okay," Rachael said as she lowered the ramp. "Just as long as you call me Rachael." Rachael backed Jet slowly down the ramp, murmuring to him the entire time. As soon as he was off, she turned him to face Hetty. "Well, here he is!" Rachael winced inwardly at her overly cheerful voice.

"My, my. He certainly is a magnificent animal," Hetty said as she watched Jet calmly watch them. "How old is he?"

"Twenty," Rachael responded, patting his neck. Her palomino Quarter Horse was a bit foolish at times, making Rachael occasionally question his age, but it was times like this that he showed his experience.

"Well, go on, get him settled," Hetty said, shooing her towards the stable.

Rachael led Jet into the solidly built barn and started taking off his shipping boots. She took note of the lack of cross ties in the aisle_. That will have to be fixed_, Rachael thought. She turned her attention back to the reason she came to Los Angeles. "What can you tell me about the upcoming mission?" The letter Rachael had received had said that she was prepping the agents for a future mission, but hadn't given any details.

"What you already know ought to be enough," Hetty said.

"The letter I got wasn't very specific," Rachael said as she straightened from taking off Jet's last boot. She started walking him out to the pasture. Hetty followed, so Rachael continued. "All I was told was that I need to improve their riding skills. But that can go in multiple directions." She turned Jet loose in the pasture to stretch his legs.

"Then go in whichever direction you feel they need," Hetty responded. Rachael still wasn't satisfied, but she let it slide.

"Okay," she responded.

"Wonderful," Hetty said. "And the stables? How do you like them?"

"Yes," Rachael responded immediately. "There are a couple things here and there that I will probably fix to fit my taste, but it is very good."

"See to any improvements you deem necessary. You will be reimbursed for any changes you make on the property," Hetty said as they walked back to Rachael's truck. "Your quarters are above the barn. I hope you find them comfortable." With that, Hetty turned and walked away, and then disappeared.

Rachael stared after her and then shrugged. She would find out soon enough what Hetty meant. She opened her truck, grabbed the first bag, and went up to her apartment.


	4. Chapter 3: The Apartment

The staircase to the apartment was, of course, on the other side of the barn. It went up the side of the barn, starting around the corner, so the stairs were covered. She also had a little porch in front of her door. Rachael found the door unlocked. She opened it and went inside.

_Wow_. Rachael took in the first glimpse of her apartment/ house. The kitchen/ eating area was the first thing she saw as she walked in. It was big, roomy, spacious, and spanned the entire width of her apartment. _I'm going to have fun cooking in here!_ She put her bag down on the countertop and explored a little more. In addition to the kitchen, she also had a living room, two full bathrooms, two bedrooms, and a laundry room. All were well furnished with mismatched, but well built, good quality furniture. She even had an ironing board with an iron! _Hetty wasn't kidding when she said it was furnished_, Rachael thought as she finished her exploration. _I even have cooking utensils!_

Rachael returned to her bag and looked inside. Clothes. _That will go to the bigger bedroom,_ Rachael thought. In addition to a comfy-looking bed, there was also a small couch, a large bookshelf, and a dresser. _This is going to be an awesome summer!_

A few hours later, Rachael was all moved in and unpacked. She had unhooked the trailer from her truck and had parked her truck at the foot of the staircase. That had made things a ton easier. Now she was all unpacked and it was… 5:30pm. Time to feed Jet.

Rachael went outside to her porch and tugged on her boots. _Now I have to remember where I packed the feed_, Rachael thought wryly. As she walked down the steps, she tried to recall where she had put the feed after she had fed Jet that morning. She looked for it in the tack room. It wasn't there. She went to her truck and opened up the front and then the half door for the back. Sure enough, her bucket of feed was there on the floor by the door. She needed to order feed for the summer soon so she could switch Jet over.

Rachael lugged the bucket of feed to the combination tack and feed room, and then went back to the aisle to look at the stalls. All were in good condition, and roughly the Same. All the stalls also had rubber matting underneath a good layer of sawdust. Any would be good for Jet. Rachael chose the stall opposite the tack/feed room. He loved to be near activity. Rachael went back to the tack room and grabbed a much smaller bucket out of the feed bucket. The smaller bucket was the bucket Rachael used to hold Jet's ration for the next meal. She filled the bucket up with the appropriate amount of feed and dumped it into the feeder in the stall. Then she went out to get Jet.

"Je-et!" Rachael called at the gate. She heard hoof beats, and then saw Jet galloping up the hill just beyond the gate. After he crested the hill, he gradually slowed until he stopped at the gate. "Good boy," she murmured as she slipped into the pasture and put on Jet's halter. She opened up the gate and led him to his stall to eat.

As he ate, Rachael unpacked Jet's things. The hardest task that faced her was moving her tack cabinet out of the trailer and into the tack room. _There _must _be a better way_, Rachael thought as she thought about how full her cabinet was. She walked out of the tack room, turned towards Jet's pasture, and walked around the corner of the barn. That was the side of the barn that her apartment was on. There was a good deal of space between the side of the barn and the pasture fence if she parked her trailer here and just kept her tack cabinet in her trailer. Then she wouldn't have to worry about moving it_._

With that problem solved, the unpacking went easier. Most things were stored in her cabinet. Rachael would only have to move her grooming supplies, medicine tote tray, and bathing items into the tack room. After that was done, she parked her trailer on the side of the barn, near the front for easy access. She then parked her truck, now unhitched again from the trailer, by her porch. She walked up the barn aisle and saw Jet sticking his head out of his stall. _He must be done_. Rachael smiled. Jet turned and saw her coming. He whinnied at her as if to say, "What took you so long? I've been done for ages!"

"Sorry, Jet," Rachael apologized as she slipped on Jet's halter. "But I was parking my truck. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Jet was covered in dead leaf bits. Apparently there was a forest in Jet's pasture with dead leaves still on the ground. He must have rolled in them. She took Jet over to a grassy patch just outside the barn door and let him graze while she brushed him. Rachael had always enjoyed brushing Jet. It helped her relax and work through issues that life had thrown her way. Unfortunately, all the grooming sessions in the past two months hadn't been enough to work through the issues with Brett. She pushed those unhappy thoughts away and turned instead toward God. Now her head was full of thanksgiving and praise for bringing them safely to Los Angeles. Rachael sighed, now content. Jet snorted, echoing her sentiments as he tore at the grass.

_Papa, thank you for bringing us here safely. Thank you that nothing bad happened on the road here I thank you for your protecting hand that has been with us on this journey. I pray, Papa, that you will continue to protect me during my stay here. Not only physically, but my heart as well. My heart still hurts over Brett. Help me to forgive him, and help me not to make that same mistake again._ Rachael sighed, sadly this time. She prayed that prayer every day, but her heart still hurt.

_Let this time, this summer before me, be a time where I grow closer to you, Papa. But, most of all, help me to honor you will all that I do while I'm here. Help me to live every day conscious of you and your love for me. Amen._

By that point, Jet was shining. Rachael checked his feet, brushed his mane and tail, and then turned him back out. _Now I have to figure out what I want for dinner,_ Rachael thought as she put her brushes and Jet's halter away. As she came back out of the tack room, she heard a car pull up. She went out to see who it was. It was Hetty. And she had some paper bags.

"What a wonderful surprise!" Rachael said as she walked up to Hetty.

"I was thinking you would be hungry by now and brought you some food," Hetty said, lifting the paper bags

"Perfect timing. I was just trying to figure out what to have." Rachael looked again at the paper bags. They were white, but no design was visible. "Is that Chick-fil-a?" Her mouth watered at the idea of a chicken sandwich.

"Well observed," Hetty praised. "Shall we enjoy this in your new quarters?"

"Of course," Rachael agreed.


	5. Chapter 4: Dinner with Hetty

A half-hour later, polishing off the rest of her fries, Rachael said, " That was delicious, Hetty. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Hetty replied.

Rachael sat back. She looked long at Hetty. Finally, Rachael asked, "As grateful as I am for the meal, and trust me, I am, I can't help but think that you came here for another reason."

"I did indeed," Hetty nodded. " I knew you had more questions, so I figured I'd drop in and give you a chance to ask them."

"I do, actually," Rachael admitted. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the agents. How many of them are there? Names? Ages? Basic history?"

"I can do better than that," Hetty said, reaching behind her. "I can give you their files. Unclassified versions of course." Hetty handed Rachael the files. As Rachael began to flip through them, Hetty began, "There are four agents that you will be teaching. Their names are G. Callen, Sam Hanna, Kensi Blye, and Marty Deeks. All are above the age of 30 and all come from a variety of backgrounds. The rest of what you need to know is in those files."

Rachael looked up from the file she was flipping through and nodded. She put the stack of files on the table and looked at Hetty to resume her stream of questions. But first she had to clear the table. She pushed her chair back and grabbed her bag of trash. "May I take your trash?" Rachael asked.

"Yes, thank you." Hetty watched Rachael as she started searching for the trash bin.

"No problem," Rachael replied. "So when do I start?"

"Tomorrow. And you will find the trash can next to the pantry door," Hetty said without turning around.

"Aha." Rachael said and threw their trash away. "Let me think… Today is Thursday, so tomorrow is Friday, " she mused as she walked back and sat down. "Okay, when should I expect them?"

"Whenever they have a free moment," Hetty replied.

_That helps_, Rachael thought. She was still getting used to Hetty's vague answers. She had an inkling though that trying to get more information out of Hetty would be useless. "My plan at this point is to use my horse Jet to figure out where they are and to see what they can do. After I know though, I will want to get some other horses for them to ride." Rachael sat back and looked intently at Hetty.

"That brings up another point," Hetty said, shifting in here chair. "You will have to choose a mount for each of the agents for this mission."

"What will the horses have to do? Short trips on grassy terrain? Long days of travel across the desert? Strenuous hikes up mountains? What kind of horses do you need?"

"Ones that are light, fast, and strong, " Hetty replied. "They will encounter a variety of terrains in a variety of climates and will be going for indeterminable amounts of time."

Rachael thought for a moment. "It will take some research, but I can do that for you. Speaking of research, is there any internet connection here?"

"Yes," Hetty answered, a straight answer for once. "You will find the password in the desk. Top drawer on the right."

Rachael nodded. She had seen the desk earlier in the larger bedroom. It was a nice desk made with a cherry wood-looking material. She wasn't sure if it real wood or not.

"In addition to improving the agents' riding skills, "Hetty said. "You will also need to teach them how to take care of the horses. The agents will be responsible for the horses' care on the mission. I do not wish for them to return one less horse due to negligence."

"Of course," Rachael nodded. "How often will the agents be coming for lessons?"

"How often should they?" Hetty asked in return.

Rchael leaned her head back and thought. "Ideally," she said slowly, "the agents would ride every day, especially since I only have three months. However, I understand that they are very busy and have much to do. So, with that in mind, I recommend a minimum of riding two to three times a week with lessons being at least one of those times. If they want more, they are welcome to stop by for another lesson."

"Very well," Hetty said. "How do you plan to teach the agents how to take care of their horses?" Rachael briefly outlined the path she would like to take, and Hetty seemed satisfied. They talked for a few minutes about details, and Rachael signed her contract. As they rose after the signing, they shook hands and Hetty said, "Congratulations, Rachael. Welcome to the team."

"Thank you, Hetty," Rachael said as they walked to the door. "I am very excited to start." They walked down the steps outside of the apartment. It was now dark, and they could see the stars.

"Wow." Rachael stopped and admired the heavens.

"Yes," Hetty said "The view out here is quite nice. I never tire of it myself."

"I think I will definitely enjoy this summer," Rachael said, still looking up."

"Well, good night, Rachael," Hetty said as she opened her car door. Hetty had driven a silver Jaguar.

"Good night," Rachael said in a dazed voice. She shook her head. "Oh! Hetty! Please tell the agents to bring an extra set of clothes with them tomorrow. Clothes they don't mind getting dirty. I'm sure they don't want to go through the rest of the day smelling like horse. They will also need a helmet.

"I will certainly tell them," Hetty chuckled as she closed her door. Shen started the car, and then drove off into the night.


	6. Chapter 5: In the Bullpen

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I had trouble with Callen. He just wouldn't behave. ;) Enjoy!**

Callen walked into OPS at 8. He expected to be the first one there. _Maybe I'll finally be able to catch up on paperwork_ he thought as he turned the corner to the bull pen. He stopped. He was the last. Kensi sat at her desk doing paperwork, already tapping her pencil on her desk. Sam's bag was right by his desk, showing that he was already there. Callen guessed he was in the gym. Deeks was asleep, leaning back in his chair.

"Good morning, everyone," Callen said as he walked into the bull pen. Deeks started in his chair.

"Huh? What?" he said blearily.

"Morning, Callen," Kensi said without looking up.

"Hey, G," Sam said as he came from the direction of the gym. By the looks of it, he had just showered. "Nice to see you finally showed up."

" Well, it's not my fault everyone decided to show up early," Callen replied as he sat down at his desk. _That pile isn't as big as I thought it was…_ His pile was located in his inbox on the corner of the desk. He shook his head. Someone was talking.

"We didn't _decide_ to show up early," Deeks was saying, laying back in his chair again. "We were summoned by none other than our cruel operations manager, Hetty. I mean, seriously, who else texts us at four am to tell us to be here at seven on a Friday morning? Hm? I'll tell you: no one! Seriously, does that woman not sleep? Any normal person—" Deeks broke off suddenly. "She's standing right behind me, isn't she?"

"Yes I am, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said as Deeks jumped out of his chair from surprise. "But don't let me keep you from your lovely nap."

"I'm good," Deeks replied quickly.

"Good," Hetty said. "Now, the reason why I called all of you in here so "early", as Mr. Deeks put it, is because all of you will need to report to the barn as soon as possible to meet your new instructor and start your horseback riding lessons."

Callen couldn't believe his ears. He always expected bad news whenever he came into OPS. It was part of the job. But this was earlier than normal. Normally the bad news waited until 9:30. Riding lessons!? He already knew how to ride! Sam knew how to ride! Kensi knew how to ride! Deeks!... Deeks… he didn't know about Deeks, but he could learn in a pinch. _What is she hiding? What's really going on?_

"No arguments, Mr. Callen," Hetty stated, seeing the look on his face. She turned and walked to her office.

Callen watched her and said to the others, "Go out to the cars. I'll be there in a sec." He followed Hetty to her office where she was writing something with her fountain pen.

"I thought I said 'no arguments,' Mr. Callen," she said without looking up.

"Okay, you did. But Hetty, seriously! Sam, Kensi, and I already know how to ride. So if you need someone to ride, pick one of us!"

"You seem to neglect the fact that Mr. Deeks does not know how to ride," Hetty stated, finally looking up. "And I would hate to have to single him out for riding lessons." She paused. Callen just stood there, staring at Hetty. _You don't have a problem singling anyone else out for anything _Callen thought as she turned back to whatever she was doing. "Now go on. You don't want to keep your new instructor waiting."

Callen stared at Hetty for a second longer and then walked to Sam's Challenger.

Callen stared out the passenger window and watched the foothill scenery roll by. Sam glanced over at him.

"Get anything out of Hetty?" he asked.

"No," Callen admitted, breaking the silence he had held since they left OPS. He shifted in his seat. "She didn't tell me a damn thing. Not even one of her usual cryptic messages," He snorted, frustrated.

Sam looked over again. "I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later," he said. "We always do."

"Yeah, but normally she hides something because she knows I'm not going to like it. Plus I hate surprises. Especially when it's something I don't like."

Sam laughed, mistaking Callen's meaning. "Then I guess you were just as surprised as we were when you heard about the horseback riding lessons."

"Well, yes," Callen said, following Sam's thoughts. "I do hate horses, but I don't think I'm going to like where these lessons lead either." _It can't be anything good, knowing Hetty and her past._ Callen thought.

"Well, we're here," Sam said as he turned into the driveway.

"This is the safe house," Callen said, sitting up in his seat, confused. "Are you sure this is the right address?"

"It's the one Eric sent to my phone," Sam said, double checking once he parked in front of the ring.

"Okay, then." Callen said after a moment. "Let's go meet our new instructor." _This is going to be interesting._


	7. Chapter 6: Meeting the Agents

**A/N: I think I made all the necessary corrections. Thanks to those who caught them!**

Rachael breathed deeply as she stepped into the cool morning air the next morning. She sighed and sent a prayer of thanks heavenward.

"Thank you, Papa, for the little things in life," Rachael began as she tugged on her boots. "Thank you for the sunrise and an apartment that faces east. Thank you for big windows and enjoyable views." Rachael had watched the sunrise from her kitchen as she ate breakfast. She had found some staple, non-perishable foods in the pantry. "I pray, Papa, that as I go throughout my day today that I would honor you in all that I do. Help me today as I give the agents their first lesson. Give me patience and give me kindness. In Jesus' name, amen."

Rachael walked down the steps and into the barn. Today she wore jeans and a blue tee shirt with her worn barn boots and cowboy hat. The jeans were the same as yesterday. The shirt was different. As Rachael put Jet's food in and brought him in, she thought about the agents.

_What would they be like?_ She closed Jet's stall door. _How difficult or easy would they be to teach? _She measured out Jet's food for the next meal and swept the tack room. _Would they take instruction well? _She turned Jet out after he finished eating. _Would they like her? Her horse? _She went to the tool room in the back of the barn to put away the wheelbarrow she used the night before. _How much did they know about horses? What if-_

"Rachael, enough!" Rachael said aloud. She breathed deeply and slowly and closed her eyes. _Papa, help me. Help me to trust you. Help me to do my best. Take these worries of mine and make me forget them._

Rachael opened her eyes. She heard a car come up the driveway. "Guess I don't have to wait long," Rachael muttered as she walked up to the front of the barn. Two cars were parked along the fence of the ring, which was on the opposite side of the barn from Rachael's apartment. Four people had just gotten out of the cars and were looking around.

"Good morning!" Rachael called. She took a deep breath to settle her nerves.

"Good morning," one of them answered back as they turned her way. He was tall, muscular, with short, almost buzzed hair that looked to be blonde, and blue eyes.. He was wearing a blue button up shirt, jeans, and black tennis shoes. "I assume you're Rachael Hughes," he asked.

"Yes, I am," Rachael replied as the four of them drew nearer. "And you are…"

"Agent G. Callen," said the original speaker, shaking Rachael's hand.

"Agent Sam Hanna," said the one beside him. Agent Hanna was taller than Agent Callen by a head, was black with brown eyes, and wore a black collarless shirt with jeans and tennis shoes. He also shook Rachael's hand.

"I'm Agent Kensi Blye," said the only woman of the group, leaning over to shake Rachael's hand. She was wearing a green button up, jeans. And tennis shoes as well. She was shorter than Agent Callen by a few inches with dark brown hair, and brown eyes, though her right eye seemed to be black.

"And I'm Detective Marty Deeks," said the last of the four. He was slightly shorter than Agent Hanna with blue eyes and shaggy blonde hair. He was wearing a plain gray tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Rachael said, shaking Agent Deeks' hand. "In the future it would be better if y'all came one at a time, but we will work with this today. I assume that y'all brought a change of clothes?"

"Yes," Agent Callen said. He seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Good. Agent Blye will change in the tack room at the front of the barn. Gentlemen, there is a storage/tool room at the back of the barn that you can use, as well as some empty stalls if you so desire. Fight amongst yourselves as to who goes where." Rachael turned away and led Agent Blye to the tack room. "Let me grab my brushes super fast before you change, Agent Blye," Rachael said as they got to the tack room.

"Of course," Agent Blye said. "And, Ms. Hughes, please call me Kensi."

"Certainly," Rachael replied, smiling. "As long as you call me Rachael."

"Okay, then." Kensi said, smiling back.

Rachael walked out of the tack room and closed the door behind her. She set her brushes down in the aisle near the set of cross ties she had rigged up that morning using baling twine and lead ropes. She smiled as she heard Agent Hanna and Detective Deeks fighting over who got to change after Agent Callen.

Rachael went out to Jet's pasture and leaned against the fence, watching him eat. Jet noticed her and came up and nuzzled her, looking for a carrot. Rachael slipped inside the pasture and petted Jet's neck before slipping on his halter and giving him the expected carrot.

"You ready to work, boy?" She murmured as she fastened his halter. Jet nickered as if to say, "Yep!"

Rachael led her horse into the barn where Kensi, and Agents Callen and Hanna were waiting. Apparently Detective Deeks had lost the fight with Agent Hanna. "If I could have y'all stand to one side while I turn Jet around, that would be great," Rachael said. They all stepped to the right side of the barn while Rachael passed and then fanned out again. Rachael had just hooked Jet up to the makeshift cross ties when Detective Deeks came out of the tool room and said loudly,

"Oh, yeah! I am SO ready to ride! Are you ready to ride Kensi? Cause I sure am! I bet - WHOA!" Detective Deeks broke off, startled, as Jet almost reared up in the cross ties. He had startled Jet, almost causing him to break the makeshift cross ties.

"Detective Deeks," Rachael seethed, her voice ice cold. "Please do not speak so loudly around horses in the future. As you have just seen, you can easily startle them by doing that, endangering both the horse and yourself. Please, put your clothes in the tack room and join the others."

Detective Deeks quietly did as he was told, while the others laughed quietly or snickered. As soon as the detective came out of the tack room, Rachael began. "First, before we go any farther, we need to lay down some ground rules. One: no smoking around the barn. Two: You must wear a helmet at all times when mounted or riding. Three: I maintain the right to add more rules as I see fit." Rachael took a deep breath and smiled.

"Now, I would like y'all to meet my horse, Jet. He is the horse that y'all will ride until I find horses for each of you. To introduce yourself, simply hold out your hand and let him sniff it. After he sniffs your hand, you may then pet him on the neck. You can also talk to the horse quietly if you want. Any questions?" Rachael paused. No questions were asked.

""Okay, then," Rachael said. "Who's first?"

"I'll do it," Detective Deeks volunteered immediately. "I got this," he said as he started to move towards Jet.

"Stop for a minute, Detective," Rachael sad before he moved much. "You're not relaxed."

"Whaddya mean I'm not relaxed? Of course I'm relaxed! The only thing that's more relaxed than me is a blanket!" the detective said quickly, but quietly.

"Detective, your shoulders are tense, your arms restricted, and your strides are short and choppy," Rachael listed matter-of-factly. Behind her she heard the agents make noises of surprise and teasing. Rachael softened her tone a bit and asked, "What do you like to do when you have spare time?"

"Surfing." The detective's voice took on a faraway tone. His eyes unfocused as if he was imagining himself riding the waves. Rachael walked up to him, waiting silently for a moment as the detective's body visibly relaxed.

"Detective Deeks," she said softly.

"Huh?" He said, his eyes refocusing.

"You may now introduce yourself to Jet." He walked up, still relaxed, and let Jet sniff his hand.

"Hey boy," He said quietly. "Sorry for scaring you earlier." He turned and walked back to the others.

"Good job, Deeks," Agent Hanna said. "Next time, don't freak out," he finished with a smile.

"Freak out? Who said anything about freaking out? I was completely calm," the detective returned defensively. Rachael rolled her eyes at them.

"Kensi, would you like to go next?" Rachael asked

"Sure," Kensi answered, sounding surprised. She walked up and let Jet sniff her hand. After patting him on the neck, she walked back to the others where Detective Deeks and Agent Hanna were still going at it.

"Agent Hanna," Rachael said, interrupting Detective Deeks' response to whatever Agent Hanna said. "Would you like to go next?"

"Sure," Agent Hanna shrugged and followed Kensi.

"Last but not least, Agent Callen?" He followed suit. After they had all introduced themselves to Jet, Rachael gave them a brief demo of how to groom a horse, and then attached lead ropes to Jet's halter before leading the horse and the four humans out to the ring.

"Alright," Rachael said once they all got out to the ring. She had the agents line up on the inside of the ring. "As y'all know, the first part of riding is getting on the horse. Today we will be riding bareback, so that process is a little different than if you were getting in the saddle." She paused. They had shifted nervously at the mention of riding bareback. Rachael guessed that they had never ridden bareback before. She continued. "I'll demonstrate how to get on a horse bareback, and then each of you will try. The first one to mount successfully will get the first lesson.

"A couple temporary ground rules for the time until I figure out where each of you are in your riding skills. For your own safety, and for Jet's safety as well, no mounting unless I am here, and always mount from a mounting block." Rachael pointed to the two step mounting block that was in front of Agent Callen. "Any questions?... No? Good." Rachael grabbed the mounting block and set it down near Jet. Then she began her explanation.

"When you mount a horse, you always mount from the left side. To start, place the mounting block behind the horse's left leg and a little out from his body. Then, obviously, you step on to the mounting block, and from there, you essentially jump on the horse, swinging your right leg over his back. Methods for jumping on the horse vary, and eventually you will find which method works best for you. What works for me is jumping so that my waist is on his back, and then swinging my right leg over." Rachael laughed at the confused expressions the agents were showing at this point. "Don't worry," she said assuringly. "I'll show you."

Rachael, now wearing her helmet, buckled the strap, and then followed her own instructions as she placed the mounting block and got on with grace had after almost 15 years of riding. She turned Jet to face the agents and laughed again at their faces. The detective had a look of utter wonder. Kensi looked amazed. Agents Callen and Hanna looked bored.

Rachael slid off of Jet."Alrighty. Who's first?"

Kensi stepped up first after a brief hesitation. "I'll try," she said. Detective Deeks put three fingers to his lips and then held them up in the air, whistling the eerie notes from _The Hunger Games_. Rachael ignored him and his antics as she watched Kensi place the mounting block and climbed up. Kensi ended up belly flopping on Jet's back. She couldn't get her right leg over, so she slid down.

"That was a good first try," Rachael said encouragingly. She turned to the others.

"I'll try," Agent Hanna spoke up. He walked up to Jet, climbed the mounting block, and jumped. He too belly flopped. He slid down, muttering to himself. Rachael smiled and turned to see the shaggy detective already walking up.

"I have a quick question," he said.

"Go ahead," Rachael said.

"Would it work if I got my right leg over his back, and then jumped on?"

"You can certainly try," Rachael replied, barely holding back a smile. He walked up the mounting block and tried to throw his leg over Jet's back. His leg only went half way up. The other agents started snickering. He grunted, surprised, and then tried again. His leg still didn't get above half way. The detective, now frustrated, swung harder and grabbed his leg, forcing it over Jet's back. He started whimpering.

"Owwwwwww," he moaned as he stood frozen from pain. The other agents started laughing.

"Detective, I should warn you that I have only seen one person mount that way. And she was a dancer," Rachael said, knowingly issuing the warning a little belatedly. "Do you now see why I didn't suggest that method?"

"Yes…" he groaned, still frozen

"Good. Now are you capable of removing yourself, or do you need some help?" Rachael asked, a hint of concern in her voice. She ignored the burst of laughter the question caused.

"I can do it myself," the detective assured as he successfully got his right leg next to his left. As he limped back towards the others, Rachael turned and saw them all leaning against the fence, still gasping for breath. "Well, you all were supportive," the detective groaned, leaning heavily against the fence. Rachael turned to Agent Callen.

"Are you brave enough to try, Agent Callen?" she asked.

"Call me Callen," he said. "And yes. But before I try, could you show me one more time?"

"Certainly," Rachael replied. "Why don't you watch from the other side. A new vantage point might help you." Callen moved to the far side of the horse and watched attentively as Rachael talked through the process as she mounted.

"You got it?" Rachael asked, looking down at his baby blues from Jet's back.

"I think so," Callen said, almost distractedly, as Rachael dismounted and landed on the other side.

"Then it's your turn," Rachael said, ducking underneath the neck to look at Callen as she spoke. Callen walked around to the left side of Jet, climbed the mounting block, and mounted as smoothly as Rachael.

All the talking ceased. Before then, the others had been teasing the detective as he moaned, and teasing Callen, asking if he was asleep before when she showed them the first time. But when Callen got on, the talking stopped. Rachael turned around to look at them. They stared, openmouthed. Rachael was just as surprised, especially after the others, but she kept her mouth shut. _Well. I didn't expect that_.

Callen looked down at them. "What?" he asked almost innocently. Rachael shook herself. Kensi and the others still hadn't recovered.

"Good job, Callen," Rachael said. "Since you are the first one to successfully mount, you get the first lesson. Once you balance on Jet, the lesson is done."

"Sounds simple enough," Callen said confidently. He sat straight up and released the hold he had up to that point on Jet's mane. He stayed on. "So I'm done now?"

"Not quite," Rachael chuckled. She grabbed the lunge line. "Let's go out to the middle of the ring where you can't fall off on a fence." She clipped the lunge line to Jet's halter and led him towards the middle of the ring. As soon as Jet started to move, Callen lost his balance and grabbed the mane again.

Once they were in the middle of the ring, Rachael halted Jet and had Callen sit up straight. Once he was rebalanced, she had him go through some exercises to help him with his balance. Callen breezed through those, never losing his balance. _Okay….._ Rachael thought. She had him do some leg exercises, seeing how reliant he was on his legs. As soon as Callen lifted his leg of Jet's back, though, he lost his balance and grabbed mane again. _There we are_, Rachael thought. She worked him on those for another 15 minutes. By the end he was stable at the halt.

"Alright, Callen," Rachael said as Callen did the last exercise without losing his balance. "Let's see how you do at the walk." Rachael let out some lunge line and started Jet walking in a circle. This time Callen barely lost his balance. As soon as Jet was going smoothly in a circle, Rachael said, "Okay, Callen. Arm exercises!"

Callen slowly raised one arm above his head and slowly windmilled it backwards. He did the same with the other arm. He then reached forward to Jet's ears, and back to Jet's tail. He did all those exercises without falling.

"Leg exercises!" Callen did those too, without a problem.

"Alright Callen, we are going to do a little bit of trot. Hold on to the mane and try to find the rhythm," Rachael said. "Jet, trrot!" Jet trotted slowly forward. Callen lurched forward and grabbed mane again. "Try relaxing your legs Callen," Rachael said.

Callen looked at her, "Are you crazy!?" He asked.

Rachael laughed at the question, "Some people believe that I am." Callen shook his head, but relaxed his legs.

"There you go!" Rachael said. "Now sit up straight. Let your hips absorb the impact of the trot." Callen sat up straight, but bounced like a rubber ball. "Callen! Relax your legs!" Callen did so for a stride. Then he started bouncing again. "One more time!" Rachael said. Once Callen relaxed again, Rachael brought Jet down to a walk.

"Good job, Agent Callen!" Rachael said as she coiled up the lunge line.

"I told you," Callen almost groaned, "To call me Callen."

"I know. But 'Agent Callen' seemed to fit better in the sentence," she said as they walked back to the corner where the lesson had started. "Now you can get off," she said once they had halted. "To dismount, simply swing your right leg over Jet's back and slide down." Callen dismounted and groaned when he hit the ground. He settled down in a crouch. Rachael crouched down beside him.

"It'll take a while for you to get used to using those muscles, but what you're doing right now is one of the best ways to stretch them." Rachael stood back up and turned toward the other agents.

"Who's next?"


	8. Chapter 7: Dear Melinda

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this update. Life's been a little busy lately... Anyway, here is a shortish update. Enjoy!**

Rachael collapsed into a chair in the kitchen, exhausted by the day. After Callen, Kensi, Agent Hanna, and Detective Deeks had left, she had made sure Jet was comfortable in the field and then went to the grocery store. After she had gotten back and put everything away, she had made herself a light lunch before tacking up Jet to go ride the fence lines. That is what she had been doing until now. Thankfully all of them were in good condition and didn't require any immediate attention.

Rachael sighed, slowly stood, and fixed herself a light dinner. She wasn't in the mood for a lot of food. _I need to write a letter to Melinda tonight_, Rachael thought. She ate her small dinner quickly and went to her room to write the letter.

Dear Melinda,

I'm finally here! It seems like yesterday that I got the letter, and now I'm here! The setup is really nice: the barn is long and in good condition, the fences are wooden and without problems, and there are two nicely sized rings (one out door and one covered). The best part about this whole thing is that my apartment is… ABOVE THE BARN! I was soo excited when Hetty (that's my boss) showed it to me. As for the size, it's more like a starter house than an apartment. I know of very few apartments that have two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, in addition to a laundry room, a nicely sized kitchen, and a living room. Despite its size though, I think it's easier to call it an apartment, so that's what I'm going to call it.

The location isn't all that bad either. The stairs to the apartment are at the back of the barn, so it's nice and private. I also have a small covered porch just outside the door. I'm really excited because the kitchen has big windows that face east. I get to watch the sun rise every morning while I eat! You know how much I love sunrises, so that was an extra special touch that only God could have done. ;) The main bedroom is really big for an apartment. It has a nice queen bed, a desk, a dresser, night stand, and a small loveseat (not that I'll be sitting with anyone on it). The apartment came furnished, so I can't complain.

My first night here (last night), Hetty was kind enough to bring me dinner. I didn't have time to go to the grocery store last night, so it was a real blessing. Just another way God is looking out for me and telling me I'm in the right place. The conversation we had at dinner, though, was interesting. Hetty herself is an interesting person, and I've only seen a little bit, I'm sure. She's short - under five feet - and both times I've seen her, she's been wearing a pants suit, despite being at the barn. Anyway, she didn't reveal much of anything to me during our conversation, but she did give me the unclassified files of all the agents, so I was able to learn a little more about them.

There are four that I am teaching, and their names are Agent G. Callen, Agent Sam Hanna, Agent Kensi Blye, and Detective Marty Deeks. The detective is technically LA PD, but he's working with NCIS for now. I met them all today for their first lesson. Callen seems to be the leader of the group. He's tall, blonde hair and blue eyes. He was the first to speak when they pulled up, and they all seem to follow him. He's really cute, but has a cold, hard look/atmosphere about him. Detective Deeks is the loudest of the group. He spooked Jet when he first came up the aisle. He quieted down afterwards, but I don't think Jet likes him.

Even though I just met these people, I feel like I know them. It's really weird, and hard to understand, let alone put into words. Some more random details about them, I think Kensi and the detective are dating. There seems to be a subtle chemistry between them that isn't verbally expressed, but is all over their body language. There's nothing specific that points me there, it's just a feeling I got when I watched them. Also, Agent Hanna is married. He was a wedding band on, which is how I knew. From Callen, I got the feeling that he's more of a bachelor type, though I might be wrong.

Their first lessons went okay. Surprisingly, Agent Callen was the first to get on. Detective Deeks, of course, struggled greatly. He could barely get on! Kensi, the only girl of the four, really surprised me. She was a natural once she got on. I have high hopes for her. Oh, I guess I should mention that they had to ride bareback today… I think that might make some more sense of what I just told you…

The rest of today was spent at the grocery store and exploring. I found acres of unfenced land to the north by accident. I'm very excited about that, and for my summer here in general. Maybe I'll finally be able to go for a weekend camping trip with Jet like I've always wanted to! I also hope that this will be a time of growing with God. Anyway, enough about me. How's life? Have all the people not staying gone home yet? How's work and class going? Please tell me Brett's not hounding you about me. I hope you summer's looking hopeful.

I love you and I miss you,

Rachael


	9. Chapter 8: Damn Cowboy Hat

**A/N: This is the first time I really try to get into Callen's head... let me know how I do!**

Callen sat back and swirled his vodka around in his glass. The remains of his Indian take out were on the floor in front of him. He still hadn't done much to furnish his house. As he watched his vodka in his glass, he thought about the day. Everything had been normal. Except for the morning.

"What are the riding lessons all about?" Callen mused. As he thought about the possible implications, his mind kept wandering back to the one giving the lessons.

Rachael Hughes. Callen rolled her name over in his brain. He took a sip of his vodka. She was cute. Short, but taller than Hetty, with curly brown hair. He couldn't tell how long it was. It had been in a ponytail. Her face had been open and kind. There was either a smile on her face or a twinkle in her eye… except. Callen chuckled at the memory of Deeks getting told by her. There had been neither when Deeks had spooked Jet. Callen had seen her face before she turned around to scold Deeks. But besides that, there had always been a smile or a twinkle.

"What color were her eyes?" Callen wondered. He hadn't been able to tell. They had always been shaded either by her helmet or by her cowboy hat. "It's LA," he grunted, taking another sip. "There are no cowboys in LA." Not to mention people didn't speak with a southern drawl in LA, though that was more common than the cowboy hat.

She had been dressed simply. Blue jeans, brown boots, and a blue tee shirt that said "Galatians" on it. The shirt also had a big 3 on the back of it. Based on her clothes, you would think she hadn't been expecting them. But if she hadn't been expecting them, then why hadn't she been surprised when she saw them, and why did she call out to them?

She seemed to be an intelligent girl. She seemed to know quickly who was who in the team. She sure got Deeks right! Rachael also seemed to know what she was doing. Callen grunted. His legs felt like they were going to fall off. He couldn't even walk right. He was in such good shape! Why was he hurting so bad? You would think that all those hours at the gym would actually be useful! He started to shift his position, but gave up. It hurt to move his legs. He settled back into his original position, leaning up against the empty fireplace.

It was interesting watching her teach the other three lessons. She met each person where they were at and only went so far. Callen thought back to his lesson and Rachael's patience with him. _It'll sure be interesting when the one-on-one lessons start_, Callen thought, chuckling at the other meaning of that phrase. _It'll be interesting to see if she'll stay patient or get mad fast._ Either way, Callen would not mind getting to know Rachael more. Not one bit.

"I wonder how old she is," Callen said aloud suddenly. She looked like early twenties, but she acted like early thirties. "Let's hope it's the latter," Callen said, as he got up to put his trash away. Not that he was looking to date anyone or get married. He enjoyed his single, bachelor's life. But Rachael being young would complicate any possibilities. He downed the rest of his vodka.

"And what is up with that damn cowboy hat?"

Rachael looked over and looked at the clock. _Finally. A decent time to be awake._ She was still jet-lagged. She yawned, stretched, and looked out her window. _North. Darn it._ Rachael got up and grabbed her bible, journal, and devotional and padded to the kitchen. She looked out the windows. _East. Much better_. The sunrise was beautiful that morning. No red, but yellows, and bright "Judy" orange. Rachael smiled at the thought of the little Dartmoor pony at her home barn. A beautiful sunrise forecasting a wonderful day.

She turned to her chapter for that day. Jeremiah 29. As she read, three verses jumped out at her.

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart!'

Rachael shook her head. "I must be more tired than I thought," she muttered. She read the chapter again.

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'

"Well, Papa, I guess you answered my question from last night," Rachael said. She had prayed last night before she went to bed that the Lord would guide her and her time in Los Angeles. Now she knew he was going to guide her. Rachael finished her devotional, went and got dressed, and made breakfast. As she finished her breakfast, Rachael thought about what she had to do that day.

"Let's see," she said. " I need to go to a local feed store and see what feeds they have. Need to switch Jet soon. I only have so much from college. I also need to get cross ties while I'm there. I also need to figure out what churches are in the area. Baptist would be preferable. Then, depending on how long that takes, I might have time to explore that unfenced area I found yesterday. That would be cool."

The plan now set for the day, Rachael got up and put her dishes in the dishwasher. She turned around, then hesitated and looked back. She went back and washed and dried the dishes by hand and set them on the counter top. _Since I'm the only one here, it doesn't make sense to use a lot of dishes_.

She continued outside, pulled on her boots, and walked down the stair case. Jet was waiting for her. "I bet he's hungry," she said as she walked to the feed room. "Four hours makes a big difference in meal times." She quickly fed Jet and made up his food for the next meal. Suddenly she heard a car in the driveway.

_That's weird. It's eight in the morning and it's LA. No one is up at this time._

She walked out of the barn and saw Hetty getting out of her car dressed in a business suit. It was a different one from Thursday. Today's suit was yellow. _That makes sense_, Rachael thought. _Of course it would be Hetty!_

"Good morning, Hetty," Rachael called.

"Good morning, Ms. Hughes," Hetty called back. "How was your first day of work yesterday?

"it went okay," Rachael replied. "Detective Deeks was barely able to get on, Agents Callen and Hanna were both able to do a little trot, and Agent Blye could have cantered if we didn't decide to cut it short."

"Ah, yes," Hetty said. "I heard all about Mr. Deeks' adventure." She smiled. "Besides Mr. Deeks, did any of the other agents surprise you?"

"I was surprised by Kensi," Rachael said. "Especially after everyone else."

"Ahh, that's to be expected," Hetty said. "She took riding lessons when she was young. I expect it's all coming back to her now." Rachael nodded. That made sense with what she saw yesterday.

"So," Hetty said. "Do you have any plans for the day?" Rachael looked at Hetty quizzically and gave her a brief outline, leaving out the exploration and the church hunting.

"Is there anything else you were planning to do?" Hetty pushed after giving Rachael suggestions on feed stores.

Rachael looked surprised at Hetty before saying, "Nope. Maybe unpack some more. Clean the house. Ride. We'll see." Hetty looked long at Rachael before she said, "Just so you are aware, you have some woods to the north. About 50 acres. Plenty of room to explore and possibly," Hetty lowered her voice to a whisper, "go camping."

She turned and walked back to her car. "Be sure to notify me when you go camping, Ms. Hughes," she threw over her shoulder as she climbed into her Jaguar.

"I will," Rachael said, a little dazed. Hetty started her car and started driving away. Rachael shook her head and ran after Hetty. "Hetty! Wait!" Rachael called.

"Yes," Hetty asked as she stopped and rolled down her window.

"How am I supposed to contact you?" Rachael asked.

"Oh, I'm old fashioned," Hetty smiled. "Send a note with a courier." With that, she rolled up her window and drove away.

"A courier?" Rachael asked after the dust had settled from her dirt driveway. "Who am I supposed to use as a courier?"

**P.S. - A little fun fact, I wrote this chapter before I wrote Chapter 5: In the Bullpen. A little trivia for you. ;)**


End file.
